Five Masters
by sazza-da-vampire
Summary: The Council isn't certain that Qui-Gon will choose Obi-Wan as a Padawan before it's too late, but they can't agree on who should be his Master instead. With only a day before Obi-Wan turns thirteen, to what lengths will each go to claim him as their own?


**Five Masters**

_By Sazza-da-vampire_

_Disclaimer: All credit to George Lucas and Jude Watson. JA era._

Garen, Bant, Reeft and Siri followed Master Adi Gallia up to the Council chamber, still bewildered. "You have to hear this," was all the explanation they'd received from the tall Master.

The four friends copied the Master when she placed her ear flat against the door to listen, and heard multiple vehemently arguing voices.

"He's not going to the AgriCorps," they heard Mace Windu start loudly, but it was overruled by Yoda shouting, "Trained he must be, and if Qui-Gon won't take him, train him myself I will!"

A flurry of voices ensued, but Master Plo Koon could be heard clearly over the others, "I found him originally! It's my right to train the boy!"

Master Saesee Tiin broke in at that. "My last Padawan was Knighted only two weeks ago – I'm the most suited to a new Padawan!"

Yoda spoke over the rest again, "Trained, the boy must be. By Qui-Gon, he should have been taught. My Grand-Padawan, the stubborn child is, my duty it is to take on the boy!"

Master Ki-Adi-Mundi interjected, "Master Yoda, the boy needs to be trained by someone who can devote themselves to him, not a Master with duties to all the Jedi and who spends half his time teaching the younglings! I have no duties other than Council meetings and the occasional mission, I-" but he was also cut off with a cry of indignation.

"He's a human and should be trained by a human!" Mace Windu yelled desperately, knowing it was an irrelevant issue in any Master/Padawan partnership.

Suddenly Adi Gallia screamed at a touch on her shoulder. "Well, well, well, what have we here?" Qui-Gon Jinn asked her playfully. "A Council Master spying on a Council meeting she's not invited to?"

Adi noticed the child by his side, a short braid dangling by his ear. She grinned. "So you decided to take him after all, Qui?" she asked wryly, then keyed in the code to open the door, letting him in.

The five arguing Masters abruptly fell silent, their hands falling from their half-drawn lightsabers. Qui-Gon informed them solemnly, "I've taken Obi-Wan as my Padawan learner."

"No!" five Council Masters shouted in dismay.

Outside, listening to the Masters weep on the other side of the open door, Adi whispered to the four children, "the only reason I wasn't in there fighting to train your friend is that I've already got a Padawan. The other six Council Masters are the same." The children all grinned, and Siri hugged her Master tightly.

Suddenly Obi-Wan, in the open doorway, said loudly, "You were all fighting over taking me as your Padawan? If I'm so damn popular, why didn't anyone choose me til now? I'm thirteen tomorrow! I was _on_ the ship to the Agri-Corps!"

Mace Windu looked up from his tears to answer him. "Yoda had a feeling that you absolutely had to be trained. We all felt it too, you are going to be a great Jedi Master – if not the greatest ever. It would be the highest honour to train you, and as you can see we all desperately want to be the one to train such a bright young Jedi. But Yoda wouldn't let us choose you because he had a vision that Qui-Gon would."

"So is that why there's a messenger from a ship that's late to leave for Bandomeer at the door to the Temple demanding to know why his passengers aren't on board his ship yet?"

Five Council Masters and Qui-Gon turned bright red. They hadn't realised that every one of them was planning to get Obi-Wan on his thirteenth birthday and claim him as their Padawan.

.

A few days later, Obi-Wan ran into Bruck Chun in the mess hall. "So I heard you had to risk your life to be picked by a Master," the boy sneered.

Obi-Wan smiled pleasantly, disarming the other boy. "Oh, yes, that's true. But that's only because five Council Masters were all fighting over who'd get to take me as their Padawan. Qui-Gon had to shove my braid in their faces to break up the impending five way duel in the Council Chamber."

Bruck gaped then stalked of without a word.


End file.
